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Want to know what is on our minds? Find blog posts written here, by the City Club staff, members, and partners. Every week you can find a new edition of #FreeSpeech in the News — a collection of related stories, commentary, and opinions on free speech in the 21st century that’s making the news. You’ll also find takes on current events, past forums, and issues surrounding Northeast Ohio. Read on for all things City Club.

#FreeSpeech in the News: Oct. 31, 2016

As the Citadel of Free Speech here in Cleveland, we work to protect and promote the basis of our democracy by sharing related stories, commentary, and opinions on free speech in the 21st century. Here's what's making the news - and what you should know about - this week.

“It was just a very small step from this attempt at silencing critics to intervention in the content of academic research, lest it entail controversial subjects. This is a crude abuse by the government of the power of the purse.”

“These sorts of attacks on academic freedom, on which Israel’s defenders have played a disproportionate role, are all too common on campuses across the country, with devastating results. They have led to the intimidation of students, the silencing or firing of faculty and the cancellation of classes…”

“In Twitter's case, its core to their idea of free speech, and free speech is one of the founding principles that Twitter is built upon and this understanding that to truly connect the world, to truly be the pulse of the world, you have to give people the option to be able to be free of persecution.”

“’It used to be college was a place for open dialogue and open debate,’ says Cliff Maloney Jr., Executive Director at Young Americans for Liberty (YAL). ‘But now we find free speech zones, we find unconstitutional policies. And that’s our goal with… our national fight for free speech campaign. How do we tackle them? How do we change them and reform them?’”

“In an interview with WFOR, CBS’ Miami affiliate, Trump was asked if he believes the First Amendment provides ‘too much protection.’

Trump answered in the affirmative, saying he’d like to change the laws to make it easier to sue media companies. Trump lamented that, under current law, ‘our press is allowed to say whatever they want.’”

“A controversial University of Toronto professor has railed against a piece of legislation designed to enshrine human rights protections for transgender Canadians, arguing it will criminalize this right to free speech. But he has it all wrong, says experts.”

“I know there are strong views on the election this year both in the US and around the world. We see them play out on Facebook every day. Our community is stronger for its differences – not only in areas like race and gender, but also in areas like political ideology and religion.

That’s ultimately what Facebook is all about: giving everyone the power to share our experiences, so we can understand each other a big better and connect us a little closer together.”